Draft-regulating and grate-shaking device for furnaces



Feb. 18, 1930. V L MEE E 1,747,379

DRAFT REGULATING AND GRATE SHAKING DEVICE FOR FURNACES Filed Aug. 27, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 \1 r Invent? Attornqy Feb. 18; 1930. v, c 1,747,379 v DRAFT RE GULATING AND GRATE SHAKING DEVICE 'FOR FURNACES Filed Aug. 27, v1,928 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 h a; R x

Inventor Ammg/ v. L. MEECE 1,747,379

DRAFT REGULATING AND GRATE SHAKING DEVICE FOR FURNACES Feb. 18, 1930.

Filed Aug. 27, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Amrnev v. L. MEECE 1,747,379

DRAFT REGULATING AND GRATE SHAKING DEVICE FOR FURNACES Feb. 18, 1930.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 27, 1928 Inventor 75172022 Zflet'e By M II I I, I

Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES oFFicE VERNON LEE MEECE, F HAMILTON, OHIO Application filed August 27, 1928. Serial No. 302,305.

This invention relates generally to improvements in domestic furnaces and has more particular reference to means'whereby to regulate the draft and to cause the actuation of the furnace grate, the means being provided operating automatically to open the draft and to shake the grate at a pre determined time especially in the morning so that the building in which the furnace l0 is'located will be heated to the proper temperature and this without requiring the services of an attendant in opening the draft door and in shaking the grate.

An important object of this invention re- 1 sides in the provision of means of this character Which may be associated with practically all types of domestic furnaces and this without requiring unusual expenditure for installation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view as the nature of the invention will be better understood, the same comprises the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described,

shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawing wherein like reference characters indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a generally conventional domestic furnace with which is associated my improved mechanism, said mechanism being partially illustratedin cross section,

adjacent the mechanism associated therewith, the grate', actuating lever being illustrated in cross section,

Figure 3 is a somewhat enlarged vertical section taken substantially upon vthe line Figure 2 is a side elevation of the furnace Figure 6 is a View similarto Figure 4, the mechanism being illustrated in on position,

Figure 7 is a perspective of the rheostat switch armoperable to on? position through the time mechanism to complete the circuit to the electric motor of the grate shaking mechanism,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective of the upper end of the arm actuating time controlled lever,

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken upon the line 9-9 of Figure 4 disclosing the means preferred in attaching the said lever to the winding shaft of an ordinary alarm clock alarm mechanism, and

Figure 10 .is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit employed in the present invention. I

Now having particular reference to the furnace A designates generally a conventional coal burning furnace that includes among other structural features a clean out door B within which is arranged a pivotal draft door C.

This furnace includes the usual fire grate operable by the usual shaft D projecting through the furnace casing directlyabove the clean out door B and to which in the present instance there is associated an upwardly extending link member 5.

Arranged at the side of the furnace A is a suitable motor housing 6 within which is located a suitable electrical motor 7 one end of the armature shaft of which is journaled within a vertical standard 8, this end of said armature shaft being equipped with a small spur gear 9 j T At the rear end of'the motor 7 is a standard 10somewhat similar to standard 8wh'ile j our naled horizontally within the upper ends of these standards is a shaft 11, the forward end of which is equipped with a large spur gear 12 that is meshed with said armature shaft gear 9, in Figure 3. Pivoted to this spur gear 12 is a link member 13, the free end of which is pivoted ,to a horizontal member 14 slidable through a suitable bearing 15 within the said motor housing 6, the outer end of this member extendingv I adjacent thejfurnace A. r V

through a slot in the side wallof the housing The outerend of this member 14 ispivot ally associated with a lever 15 which is in'turn pivoted to the upper end of the member 5 associated with the grate shaft D, the obvious resultbeing that'when said motor 7 is operating the brake shaft associated member 5 will a be rocked to cause the shaking of the grate which is a similar tongue 22. Theupper Arranged upon thefront side of the casing of the furnace A adjacent the upper end thereof is'a' cable pulley 16 over which is trained a cable 17 the lower end thereof being suitably associated with the draft door C of o the furnace clean out door B. Y

Arranged upon the motor housing 6 is a time controlled mechanism housing 18'with-V in which is located a generally conventional alarm clock 191 After the alarm spring of this clock has been wound the lower end of a lever 20 is attached to the winding key of the alarm shaft preferably in the manner as illustrated in Figure 9. r t I n Theupper end of this lever is formed with a" right angular tongue 21 spaced beneath tongue 21 is formed with a square opening 23 while the lower tongue 22 is formed in register therewith with a circular opening 24. Slidable through the openings in these tongues is a latch bolt 25normall'y urged upwardlyby reason of a coil spring 26 surroundingthe bolt between said tongues 21 and22,

housing 18 and'isguided overfa pulley 27 10-:

f v j Complemental to see Figures 4 and 5.

The upper, end of thedraft door attached ycablel7' is secured to said lever-'20 at a point intermedi'atejit's,endsg'this cable extendingthrough a slot in the adjacent sidezwall of the cated withinithe housing 'directlyin back of said slot,see Figure-4.; v

Located within the housing directly above thealarin clock 19 is a housing 28 within which islo'cated a sto'rage' battery 29ldisclosed in the wiring diagram in Figure 10.

I In circuit withthisbattery 29 isa conventional starting rheostat 30 the contacts of which are' arranged upon the outeizwall' of 19s as in Figure 4.

' swit h arm 31 normally maintained in off? 'position by'a coil spring 35 as illustrated in F'gure 5. This mechanism is of generally a d serip f thereof is'fbelieved unnecessary. V

f 5 The upper end of this switch arm"31 is formed with an outwardly extending right conventional design and det angulartonguei 32 adapted tobe'; engaged by the upper end of the latch bolt 25g0f said lever, 20-when this lever is swung from the I off position in-Figure4to the on ,position 'in Figure 6, this motion being accomplished by the operation of the alarm 5 mechanism of he housing 28 directly above the alarmclock 'rheostat' Ina draft.Iregulatinggiandlfgrateshaking predetermined time. Said rheos'tat 30 and I v I battery 29 are in circuit with the grate actuating mechanism motor 7 and obviously when the lever 20is swung in a direction toward the right said switch lever 31 will wipe over the contacts of the'rheostat to cause the gradual flow of the current from the battery.

Located at the one end of the-rheostat 30 and in circuit with therheosta'tthe battery and motor is an electro-magnet 33, the pur-e .poseof the same being to maintain the switch lever 31 in on position; In circuit with the rheostat' battery and'motor-and located I beneath the magnet 33 on the outer 'wall of the casing 28i's a normally closed switch 34 ,andwhen theswitch arm 31 has reached its limit of movement the lever 1at'ch b'o1t-25 will continue to move and eventually encounter saidswitch 34 breaking the circuit to the magnet 33 whereupon the switch lever'31 will reure 4." 1 v u p In this connection 'it' is tofbe noted that turn to its normal off position as in Figthe lever latch bolt is'bevelled on its free ex- Y tremity as at 36,'so that the bevelled extremity engages therto'ngue 32 .of the switch arm 31, sol'that obviously when the said switch arm 31 hasreachedits limit of movement, the lever latch bolt 25 continually is actuated upon by thewinding key ofthe alarm shaft, the said latchfbolt will disengage itself by reason of its bevelled end from the tongue I be closed.

' I l- In view of the foregoing descriptionwhen considered in conjunction. with" the accompanying drawings-the construction and'op eration of this device will be entirely clear to thoseskilled in the art. I 1

I Even though -:I have herein shown and described the invention asconsisting of certain detail structure featurespit is nevertheless 1 to be understood thatsome changes may be made I therein without afi'ectingthesp-irit' and scope of the appended claim.

Having'thus described my invention, what 7 I claim as new is: 7

device for furnaces wherein the. furnacejing draft door, an electrical motor arranged ad-V {cludes a grate, shaking shaft; together with a the shaft during the, operation of ithefmo- I tor, time controlled means'joperativelyas 'sociated, With the draft doorwherebyj to open the same at a predeterminedtime and 1101? ,j

jacent thefurnace'andoperativelyassociated with the grate shaft to cause the rocking of v mally open switch unit in circuit with the motor and a source of electrical supply and means associated with the time controlled mechanism whereby to cause the closing of the switch upon the operation of the door opening mechanism, and magnetically controlled means for maintaining said switch closed when thrown to on position, and a normally closed switch within the circuit and located in the path of movement of the time controlled means whereby to break the circuit to the magnet after the time controlled mechanism has completed its movement.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

VERNON LEE MEEGE. 

